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 Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 1:52 pm
Welcome home: ...Grr
The way home the way was pretty uneventful. Sometimes the boy would stop, point at something and look at Pales questioningly until the man figured out what was meant by the gesture and placed a name to whatever was being pointed at. Pales seemed quite patient about this, probably happy to have someone to teach and explain things to. Pales also hoped that the boy would start talking.
When they got home first order of business erupted quite suddenly. The hammer was placed somewhere safe and the boy scooped up. Armel flailed and squeaked he didn't like where this was going.
"We had dinner on the way home and you have made a mess of yourself and thus it is bath-time." Pales said to the boy.
Armel glowered at Pales for a moment, what was the meaning of this?!
Pales just stripped the boy down before he could protest. Ketchup splattered pant and shirt went into the laundry basket, the boots where somewhere in the living room, and the boy was deposited in a pleasantly warm running bath that the man had started as soon as they entered the bathroom. Though to Armel's dismay he hadn't even realized what had happened until he hit water.
Pales then began to undo the hair ties and wash Armel's hair. The small boy gave a small growl but didn't protest otherwise and just sat there looking as if he was seething and plotting the man's long and painful death.
When Pales had finished washing the boy's hair the man deposited a wash cloth, "Here, you do that part yourself." He hoped the boy understood. Pales even did the gesture of washing under his arms. Soon Armel seemed to follow what was going on and did it himself.
Pales leaned on the corner of the sink and just stared a head as the boy did this. When Armel noticed, the boy decided to signal that he was done by cupping up some water and splashing the man.
Pales blinked as the water splattered his neck and check, "Hey! I see you can be a trickster at times," he laughed a bit instead of being angry or upset.
The boy was grinning very slightly in spite of himself.
Armel watched Pales carefully as the man stepped forward, undid the plug for the water and then wrapped the boy in a large fuzzy towel that was gotten from the towel rack near by. The sudden action of being picked up caused Armel to let out a surprised squeak.
It wasn�t until Armel was carried into the living room and sat upon the man's lap to have his hair brushed through that the boy made a sour face. Something of this felt vaguely humiliating.
Though, Armel continued to sit there his left eye twitching and his face looking about as friendly as a thunder cloud. The so-called pajamas Pales placed upon the boy, was actually one of the man's old shirt proclaiming events at some concert he went to. The pajamas clung slightly to the boy's damp form because he barely allowed Pales to dry him off after the bath.
Armel felt that if he could speak right now he'd ask if this was all truly necessary. The boy felt it wasn't, and Pales felt it was. A difference in opinion, but unfortunately Pales had the advantage of size where Armel did not.
Pales sat there with Armel on his lap, running a brush through the damp hair and separating the fiery-orange strands of hair so he could re-braid them when he was done. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" The man asked softly, "Just a bath and good as new. I told you it wouldn't hurt."
Armel grunted slightly and continued to look about as angry as a cat who felt like he was nearly drowned. He didn't feel he'd enjoy it here at all, at least not if these ridiculous bathing habit-rituals continued.
Pales gently pulled the boy around a bit so he could braid the two bits of hair. Armel grudgingly sat still for this, and still looked sour. The boy felt humiliated that he couldn't figure out how to do most of these things on his own yet.
"If you pay attention to what I do for a while you can do all of this on your own, you know." Pales muttered as he braided down the fiery-orange tresses.
Armel peered at the man, maybe he wasn't that bad. He couldn't find the words to speak, though he seemed to understand what was said to him, it was quite frustrating.
"Bet you didn't realize I could tell how annoyed you are by all of this. You want to do it on your own and be independent. I don't blame you either." The man continued to talk, "I bet it bothers you more that you can't effectively communicate how you feel through words. Don't worry though you'll get it."
Armel gave another grunt and then yawned, he felt as if he was relaxing, slowly but surely. The man seemed to have a way of doing that to the boy.
"Tonight you'll sleep in my room until I can get yours together." Pales continued to drone on. Before the boy knew what was happening he had dozed off, which gave Pales some trouble when he went about braiding the second lock of fiery orange hair.
The only thought Armel had before dropping off to sleep was that "Maybe he isn't as dense as he lets off..."
Finding the Armel's Tome: Freaky book.
Pales had finished fussing over the boy's hair and then picked him up to put him into bed. Before he could lay the already sleeping Armel down on the bed, Pales saw a strange Tome laying on it. Pales balanced the boy in one arm and flipped the Tome open, which it did with some reluctance. Though all he saw was events of the day written on the page.
"...That's odd." Pales laid the sleeping ram-horned boy in the bed and picked up the book then after. He carefully tucked the boy under the covers and then went off flipping through the book. The pages were blank. A chill ran up Pales' spine and the book slammed itself shut.
"...Okay." He tried to open it again but it refused. "Have it your way." He sighed and wandered to a near by closet and stored it up. Maybe he'd show it to Armel when he got older, right now it seemed safest to put it somewhere where no one could harm it.
Pales wondered why it was here. It obviously seemed very different from the Tome he had seen earlier this day or was it? It was odd that it should appear here without it being picked up or anything. At least he didn't remember picking it up...
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 1:58 pm
Playdate - Armel, Udell, and Viddy
Description: Armel meets Viddy and Udell. Also learns about the concept of playing, sort of anyways. Udell and Viddy seem to interest him, but he doesn't get to be with them very long before Pales has to drag him home. Bah.
Link: Thread!
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Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2005 2:01 pm
Armel, Viddy, and Udell: First impressions...
While an abrupt leave when play is about to start would make most children throw a tantrum, Armel just walked along quietly, his eyes sort of half-lidded as if deep in thought or in some form of a trance. Pales cleared his throat glancing at the boy for a moment, "Did you like them at all, Armel," The man finally spoke up, "it is okay if you didn't..."
Armel glanced up at the man his brow furrowing and his eyes were opened a bit wider. "Okay." The boy replied with a small shrug.
Pales gave a small laugh, "What'd you think of the girl?"
Armel looked straight ahead for a moment to watch a jogging woman come toward them. A woman of no consequence really, just a being in view of the scenery nothing more, "Happy," he replied, "Blue. Pretty."
The man gave a small laugh, "What of the ... boy then? What'd you think of him?"
The boy went still and stared at his own feet, his going still caused Pales to stand still so as to avoid dragging Armel along, "Weird," the boy replied finally, "Dun'o."
Pales patted Armel's head a bit, though the ram-horned boy tried to deflect the hand before just giving up and allowing contact, "Well maybe we can get a playdate with him and you alone. Maybe he doesn't do well in groups of more than two."
Armel just shrugged, "Food," the boy replied, "Please?"
"Alright, we'll be home in a minute. I'll make us something good to eat." Pales offered.
Armel looked somewhat dubious about that, "Sure?"
"Hey, you never had a problem eating what I gave you before." Pales protested as they began to walk again.
Armel gave a small secret smile, "Maybe."
As they continued to walk home Armel pointed at an old man whittling away at a piece of wood in front of his home, "Doing?" Something about that had really caught his interest.
"He's carving." Pales said with hardly a glance, "Whittling more like right now."
"Oohh. Can I?" Armel asked peering up pleadingly at his Da.
Pales shook his head, "Not yet, maybe you can mold with clay."
Armel scrunched his nose, "Clay?"
The man chuckled, "Yah, it is mounds of earthen material that you can shape with your hands. Maybe finger-painting will be another good thing for you to do before you try carving." Pales seemed thoughtful, "Let's try a little of both when we get home."
The ram-horned boy pouted a bit, "Kay."
[xx~xx]
Paint and Clay: Afternoon of Fun
Armel sat there wearing a smock and a hairnet, his face was smeared with dried clay that was once wetted to make it more moldable. Pales had cautioned him against actually putting the stuff in his mouth. Not that the stuff was appealing enough in smell to even consider the act.
Armel removed his mudded hands and looked at his creation speculatively. It was a child's representation of a coiled snake, which meant a coiled tube of clay with a pointed snout and dots for eyes where Armel made due with just a pencil that Pales left behind while looking for paint.
"Da! See! I made!" Armel said excitedly pointing at his snake.
Pales glanced at it as he set up a small easel and some canvas for the boy to paint on, "Good job." Pales smiled.
Armel rubbed his clay-muddy hands on his smock which made them clean enough for his tastes, "Paint now?"
Pales shrugged, "If you want?"
"Yes!" Armel responded, "Bored clay."
Pales smirked a bit and nodded, "Fine then," he then set up the paints and let Armel figure it out for himself.
Armel approached the easel and rubbed his chin before dunking his hand in one of the paint bowls his Da set up and tossed it at the canvas before him causing it all to fall with a wet splurt sound.
Pales suddenly regretted not having the mind to set up plastic under the easel. At least the paint was easily washed away in water and the floor was nylon and in the kitchen.
Armel did this with several or so other colors before he placed both hands on easel and swooshed them around, to his satisfaction. Every now and again he'd stand back, and rub his chin thoughtfully causing paint to transfer to his chin and become a paint goatee.
Pales tried hard not to laugh. Armel'd definitely need a bath after this. Armel seemed to have completely forgotten about eating now that he was gaining an actual interest or two.
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:16 pm
Playdate - Adonis & Armel
Description: Adonis, the king of cute and all things shiny meets Armel. Both boys do not know what to do about each other until they figure out what they actually like about one another. Climbing and then flight ensues. Both boys get a kick out of driving their respective fathers totally and utterly insane.
Link: Thread!
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:17 pm
Best of Friends: Tuxes = Bleh
They walked in silence for a while, the milk now dried into Pales' hair. He wasn't mad at the boy anymore and still felt badly for embarrassing him. Then again, Pales was never mad at Armel to begin with but he couldn't let the bad behavior continue.
"How'd you like Adonis then?" Pales said finally glancing down at the boy.
"Cool!" Armel said rather exuberantly, even for him. "Flies." Armel nodded sagely. "Friend." He added with finality to his tone, as if Pales would challenge this.
Pales just grinned, "Yeah, and you gave me and his dad a heart attack."
Armel stopped for a moment, "Dad?" That seemed like a silly name to call anyone.
The tall man just grinned as if reading the boy's mind, "It's someone that takes care of you and loves you. A parent I guess. It is hard to explain."
The ram-horned boy scrunched his nose a bit and finally pointed at Pales, "Da, not dad."
The man's face just broke into a wide grin, "Alright, I can handle that."
Armel blinked at the expression, but replied in a stern tone, "Good." He added a nod for good measure.
After a few moments Pales stopped in front of a tuxedo rental place. Armel stopped too peering at it curiously, "Bleh." The boy said after a moment.
"Well you're gonna wear one. I have to, you do too." Pales said in response, his tone showing that he meant business.
"Why?" The boy made a small frown it was as if a dark thundercloud had suddenly appeared over his head.
"Because weddings are formal occasions and you have to wear formal clothes." Pales answered as if that answered everything and anything.
Armel scrunched his nose, "Not gonna. REBELLION!"
The man's left eye twitched ever so slightly, "You are and will, or no bedtime stories for a week."
The boy's face became darker at that, how dare his Da deny him his bedtime stories!
"We will do this calmly, and peacefully. You will also enjoy yourself." Pales said and dragged the boy in. Pales' hair was dry by now he hoped and besides he needed an excuse to take off the semi-damp shirt and jacket to let them dry.
It wasn't long before the man found a suit for himself and Armel.
Now the ram-horned boy was enduring the pain of having to stand still and having this rather feminine man pin his suit. The tailor called him 'cute' and 'adorable'. Feh.
"OW!" The boy yelled, Pales was already done and just waiting. Armel was giving the tailor all sorts of hell.
"I'm so sorry, hon, but ya gotta stay still!" The tailor insisted taking a pin from between his lips and setting it up.
Armel just grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. The jacket and such fit almost perfect, there were just a 'few' modifications needed.
The boy just frowned and stared straight ahead for a long while.
"Alright, done!" The tailor stepped back, "Go ahead and change back, just be careful of the pins."
Armel stared at the tailor in disbelief, by himself? Forget that, he looked to his Da, "Help?"
Pales chuckled and nodded, "Of course."
Pales helped Armel with getting the tux off afterwards the boy could handle redressing into his usual garb rather well.
"For not wanting to dress up you sure were concerned about not messing it up." Pales teased as he handed off the tux for its modifications. They were buying these instead of renting. They were going to stick around while the few short touches were fixed up.
"Shush." Is all Armel said when they both wandered out of the dressing room together.
Pales just grinned the tailor rang them up. Pales gave out the payment and then they sat around for a few moments watching other customers as they milled about. It wasn't long before the tailor gave them their tuxes and they were free to finally go home.
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:19 pm
Gotta get ready: What is a wedding!?
Armel sat in the stuffy tuxedo on Pales' bed, watching as the man got ready. Armel gave his Da a run for his money, and he Armel could have sworn that Da had almost given up and just let him go as he normally dressed, but sadly not.
Pales meanwhile was busily fussing over his suit, "How's it look?"
"...Okay." Armel replied sulkily, "What wedding?" He asked again.
Pales stopped for a moment and peered back at him, "It's when two people promise to stay together forever."
"Forever? Why?" Armel asked clicking together the rather uncomfortable children's dress shoes, watching his Da as he now turned around to face him.
"Because sometimes two people just love each other that much," Pales tried to explain, "I know you don't understand it right now but maybe one day you will."
Armel scrunched his nose, "Bleh." He said as a response.
Pales chuckled, "Sometimes people don't stay together though."
"Why?" Armel replied.
"Because sometimes it just doesn't work anymore or something drives them apart." Pales said as he went and scooped up the boy, which he amazingly enough allowed.
"Never marrying," Armel pointed to himself.
The man chuckled, "We'll see when you're older."
Then they were out the front door and heading toward where Enoh and Nio were holding their wedding.
Link: Thread!
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Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 1:21 pm
Don't drink : But he made it look so cool!
Pales put Armel to bed, "I gotta get your room done soon." The man sighed a bit with a small chuckle, "I'm sorry it is taking so long." He fluffed the boy's bangs a little with a smirk.
Armel batted lightly at his Da's hand and grunted, "Aye."
"I need to talk to you about that drinking incident." Pales continued, and Armel just yawned, "I am proud of you for not taking any. I want you to not do so at all if you can help it, at least not til' you're older."
"Why? 'Donny did!" Armel pointed out stubbornly.
"Yeah, and he is lucky he didn't get hurt." Pales muttered a bit with a shrug.
"Pirate did too." Armel said again, "Cool." He finished.
The man shifted his shoulder, something about Armel thinking Tybalt to be 'cool' when barely having met him for a few moments was slightly disturbing.
"Well, just don't Armel. Not right now." Pales replied, he couldn't come up with a good reason for the boy to abstain he just hoped that would have to do.
Armel just closed his eyes a little, he liked Tybalt. He talked in a somewhat familiar way that he found a little comforting, "Want see Pirate again." The boy muttered.
Pales sighed a bit, "We'll see. Now go to sleep." The man kissed the boy's forehead with a small sigh. The boy was already snoring softly.
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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:00 pm
Bazaar: Peddler women are FREAKS.
Pales stood at a booth haggling with an old man over the price of a rug for Armel's room. Armel clung to his Da's coat as is customary for him. He didn't have any desire to be lost in the bustling crowd of the bazaar. While he was both dreading and looking forward to his new room he wasn't sure why though, other than it was a really big change to have happen all at once. A little to Armel's free side he saw a peddler woman peering at him with curiosity, this caused him mild discomfort and he hid his face in Pales' coat.
Pales' hand reached down and patted him on the head, both an infuriating and comforting gesture. More comforting than infuriating right now, as that woman was now grinning at him. Armel didn't quite care for that grin.
"Sir, I can watch your little prince while you banter, he'll be safer with me away from the streets." The woman called out sweetly. The woman was average, and nothing about her was too off except that she always seemed bent over because of the odd hump. A deformity perhaps, she also had pointed ears like an elf.
Pales glanced at the woman and furrowed his brow. An obvious expression of distrust crossed his face, "I ... dunno." He muttered while the man he was haggling with crossed his arms looking quite impatient. Pales gave other man a quick glance, "Alright just a couple of minutes." Pales nudged the boy over, and Armel went over a bit reluctantly. The woman picked him up and brought him to her side of the counter.
The woman took Armel's face into her hands and looked at him side to side wearing a small mysterious smirk, "Yes indeed, an odd little one aren't you? Want to see a book?"
Armel was tense but at the mention of a book he nodded a bit. Books interested him a great deal. He wanted to learn how to read effortlessly like his Da did.
Peddler woman grinned knowingly and nodded. She bent and opened a compartment of her stall and produced a large book with strange characters, "I wonder if little one can read this. Has your daddy taught you to read yet?"
Armel shook his head refusing to speak.
"Ah well, either way you wouldn't be able to read this book."
Armel looked at the book and raised an eyebrow, he suddenly understood them, "Histo..ry and..la..nguages...of..elven and ... dwarven..kind.."
The woman looked amazed and dropped the book, "You lied!" Her eyes became steely causing Armel to take a step back with his eyes going wider than usual out of pure shock.
It wasn't long before Pales was on the other side snatching up his son before a real commotion would break out, "Excuse me miss, but please do not traumatize my son." He said coldly, Armel buried his face into Pales' neck. Pales paid little mind to the hard ram-horns pressing against his jawbone.
The woman glared at the man and pointed to the easy exit area of her stall, "I'll thank you both to leave now."
Behind her back she made a gesture. The book faded out of view from ground and into Pales' bag. The weight of the book didn't make much difference, and he seemed to not notice at all considering his level of anger.
Pales just glared icily at her and then turned to leave.
Once they were a safe distance away the woman just grinned and laughed darkly as her wings shifted faintly beneath her peddler's robes. She had done her part in the name of fate and destiny. She would find the boy again, yes indeed.
[xx~xx]
A Shock: It followed us home, can we keep it?
When they finally got home it was late evening. Armel had calmed down enough to walk on his own while grabbing onto his coat. Pales didn't have the heart to make Armel take a bath this night after seeing how worn the earlier encounter had made him and just simply tucked him in and told him good night after telling a story about dwarves, which seemed to totally entice him and make him drive off to sleep.
When Pales was sure Armel was asleep he went back out to the living room to unpack what he had bought today. First to reach his hand was the large strange book with what seemed to be gibberish on it.
"Huh, how'd this get here?" He muttered to himself, though he didn't have long to ponder before he heard Armel shrieking.
Pales ran dropped the book and ran into the room to see what was wrong.
Armel was sitting up straight backed and muttering in what seemed to be gibberish to Pales.
Pales firmly took the boy and shook him a bit, "Armel! It's a dream wake up!"
Made a flailing motion at being touched and then he became fully awake and stared at Pales blankly.
Pales sighed a bit and shook his head, "What were you dreaming."
Armel looked away blushing a bit. He wasn't sure how to say what it was exactly, "Dun'o." He replied after a moment and Pales just let it go at that, much to Armel's relief.
"So I see?" Pales let Armel lay back down, "It seems that book followed us home, much like that weird tome..."
"Keep?" Armel said hopefully. He was truly interested in reading it instead of having some hag screech at him.
"I dunno if you can. It's all in gibberish." The man replied doubtfully, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I can." Armel replied, "I show you!"
The man gave a small chuckle, which caused Armel to glare at his Da for a moment. He'd show him!
"Tomorrow, okay? Now try to sleep again." Pales said soothingly, "Want me to tell another story?"
Armel simply nodded.
When Armel was asleep Pales went back to the living room and picked up the book and hid it away. Armel wouldn't remember it or miss it just yet. He put it up with Armel's tome.
Pales was a bit shaken by the turn of events though he tried not to let it show. Who could he talk to about these things? No one of his immediate family of current circle of friends could possibly know or identify, maybe someone amongst the friendships he is trying to forge amongst the other TT parents.
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:22 pm
Playdate - Jiro and Armel
Description: One would think they would try to kill each other for supremacy or claim one is copying the other. Instead they make a firm bond of friendship together. Awww. Cute!
Link: Thread!
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Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 10:23 pm
Independant: Pales -- The natural 'mother'.
Pales and Armel stepped out of the restaurant where they had dined with Akiya and Jiro. The time was late in the afternoon, but home would still be in one piece. That is what Pales sincerely hoped anyways.
Armel had held onto Pales' coat as was customary for the boy, instead of holding hands with his Da, he looked up at the tall man with a small mysterious grin, "I liked him Da, I want to see more of him." The boy spoke without prompting, which as a first.
Pales smiled a bit and ruffled hair on top of Armel's head, and the boy didn't seem to mind that at all, at least not right now, "Well I'm glad, Armel. I am glad you could meet someone that holds some of your same interests." Pales smiled down at Armel, "Before we get home I'm going to pick up a couple more things for your room and a carving set for you to learn from." He walked along and looked straight forward, though he knew the boy was positively beaming now.
"Really, do y'mean it?" Armel asked his eyes wider and shining with hope now. Pales glanced down and gave an affirmative nod and then stopped, turned toward Armel and knelt, placing his hands on both of the boy's shoulders staring him straight in the eye with intense seriousness. Armel found that he was unable to look away.
"If you hurt yourself, ever, I want you to come straight to me. No hiding it, promise?" Pales asked quietly. The boy still looked unusually large eyed, but nodded.
"Yes Da', I promise. I promise on my honor." The boy murmured slowly, though he wasn't sure what made him say that exact phrase. He knew what it meant, at least deep down inside.
When Pales finally broke eye contact, Armel shook his head a bit. It felt like he had just woken up from an odd trance but he remembered what just happened. Pales was once again standing and Armel re-established his hold on the corner of the man's coat. As soon as everyone was in their usual positions they went off to the store nearest store that had all the things they need, more stuff for the room and a beginner's carving set. It was a simple hardware store, but it had things needed for finishing the room the way Pales had it planned and they had a few beginner's carving sets and books available for those with that interest.
When they stepped in a few glanced their way, mostly staring at Armel, as he did look a little stranger than most children, with the horns and all. The ram-horned boy ignored the looks though stepping a bit closer to Pales with a small frown of mild discomfort on his face. Pales patted Armel lightly on the head as a way of comfort and they wandered about the aisles of hardware and other such product.
Armel's looks didn't seem to deter the elderly woman that worked there as she stopped Pales just so she could kneel in front of Armel and tell him just how adorable he was! The ram-horned boy went slightly red in the face, enduring it but not really enjoying it the attention brought upon him by an elder woman.
Pales came to the rescue by excusing himself and Armel to finish shopping, as there was only so many hours left in the day. The woman nodded understandingly and off she went. The ram-horned boy puffed a sigh of relief causing Pales to smirk faintly.
"It's alright, 'Mel. I used to get it all the time when I was your age too." Pales said as he picked up a couple of things in the Aisle they were in. They didn't need a cart handheld or on wheels. They would pay for it in the hobby section and get it bagged and off they would go - hopefully.
Once they got to the hobby aisle it took them a while to choose just the right set. It was one Armel himself picked out, but it had a book in it. Pales supposed he could read it to the boy, though he had a feeling Armel knew more about this than the book could ever tell him, and so they made their purchases and went home. Nothing else particularly of note or excitement happened at the store otherwise.
At home Pales set up a work area for Armel to practice his carvings. Though before he let the boy take up the tools and woodblock Pales managed to provide the man knelt down getting eyelevel with the boy again.
"Remember what we talked about. I set up your work place near your room and I left the door open a crack so that way you can call when you need anything." Pales explained patiently at the boy, even if Armel was beginning to behave somewhat annoyed, he nodded.
"I know, I know." The boy muttered softly. Pales got up and lead him to the work area he was apparently satisfied with the response. Armel sat down on the ground, which was covered with plastic for easy cleaning and then arranged the tools in his area careful not to hurt himself with them but also taking stock of them as if to mentally figure out what they could be used for instead of going to look at the book or its pictures. He felt it ought to really be obvious just by looking at them.
Pales had long disappeared into Armel's room and had set to work. Armel took the biggest knife out of the bunch and started to whittle away at the excess wood. Pales had brought some larger carving knives just for this sort of thing. The smaller knives that came in the kit were more or less for shaping details, and Armel wasn't at that point yet. Maybe he would make this for Jiro, sort of like a friend gift.
...Yes that would work out nicely. Armel started to work at the wood a bit more steadily. He was enjoying doing this already. Working with his hands was most relaxing for him, and it also kept him occupied for a great deal of time.
Pales worked in the room quietly adding finishing touches and doing various other things to touch up the room to suit Armel. It didn't exactly seem up to Armel's taste yet, but it seemed suitable enough. Pales glanced out of the opened door to see a shadow of the boy working at something. The man expected small cuts and maybe splinters from the boy's experience, but he hoped to not find bleeding gashes that need stitches or a trip to an emergency room in general.
An hour goes by, then two hours, each one unaware of the other's action as they peacefully went about their work. Armel learning easily by trial and error and Pales just masterfully setting up a few last touch decorations that also seemed to involve some wiring and working at the walls.
With a couple of final tap - tap against the wall Pales stepped back and nodded at the view before him before peeking out to check on Armel.
Armel was sitting his back against the wall whittling away. The rough outline of a person formed to show of his hard work and his learning. Pales couldn't help but smile proudly at his son as the boy sat there with a rather peaceful look on his face. Pales couldn't help but notice how well coordinated his son's hands were as they worked. It was as if Armel always knew how. Sure there were many nicks and cuts on the boy's hands, and likely a few splinters but Pales'd help him clean those up as soon as Armel saw his room.
"If you can put that down for a sec, I'd like you to see your room now." Pales said quietly announcing his presence and causing Armel to nearly jump out of his skin. The man chuckled, "Sorry about that. Didn't hurt yourself did you?" his voice filled with concern as he went forward.
Armel shook his head he had nearly missed seriously gashing himself just them, "Nah. Gon' help me with gettin' splinters out?" Armel asked as he placed down his project and wandered over to his Da. His hands hurt quite a bit, but it was a happy sort of hurt. One that spoke of contentment that came from working with his hands.
Pales laughed a bit and nodded, "Of course." He muttered as he ushered Armel into the room.
"Gourry! Nice room Da'." Armel chimed as soon as he saw it. Sure it wasn't exactly to his taste but it was still nice, big, and best of all it was all his...
The man laughed and nodded, "Good, glad you like it. Now about those hands," Pales murmured ushering the boy back out and toward the bathroom, all the while behaving like an overly anxious mother hen.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 9:18 pm
Playdate - Angelus and Armel meet.
Description: Armel and Angelus meet at the stationary shop and they have quite a nice conversation. I wonder what will develop between these two. At least they don't want to kill each other...
Link: Thread!
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 9:19 pm
Learn how to walk: Before you run.
Pales let Armel down once they stepped foot out of the shop. Armel grunted as he was let down and then he hooked his hammer into his belt. The man was lucky the boy even loved him otherwise Pales would find himself the proud owner of a flattened skull courtesy of one angry Armel.
"When is this sister coming then?" Armel asked curiously. Much to the boy's dissatisfaction the man was vague as always, giving a small shrug, before answering.
"I do know. Lee didn't say exactly. She must be over excited again. It's been so long since we saw each other. She looks forward to meeting you, Armel." Pales smiled down at the boy who peered up at him with a small squint to his already narrowed eyes before looking ahead again and automatically grabbing onto the corner of the man's coat as if it were a security blanket for him.
"Aye, okay then. Abou' that Angelus boy, 'e is pretty interestin'." The ram-horned boy murmured thoughtfully, "Very intelligent from what I could tell. Think we could be friends, Da?" Armel asked looking back up at the man as they walked.
Pales shrugged in a non-committal manner before answering, "I don't know. That part would really be up to you. Don't you think? I cannot see into the future, Armel. As much as I wish I could sometimes." The man offered the boy a small grin, to which Armel answered with a shrug of his own and a small sigh.
They walked for a while in silence, each buried in their own thoughts for a moment or two before Pales finally spoke up again, "Want to learn how to read and write?" He watched as Armel nearly stumbled a bit at the sudden question from his Author and blinked up at him as he regained his composure from the initial shock of the sudden question posed to him.
"Aye, I would, but I thought y'wanted to wait on that a bit, Da." The boy stated blinking in mild confusion at the sudden change of Pales' mind.
"Yeah, well, decided it is never too early to learn, and since it is something you seem to have genuine interest in I guess it is about time you learned." Pales smiled down at Armel before continuing again, "Plus I want you to start keeping a journal so you have a place to keep your stray thoughts," he noted the suspicious look crossing the boy's face before he added, "No, I have no plans of ever reading it. It'll be private and for your eyes only. I swear."
Armel slowly nodded, the man's word seemed good but from a parent such promises seemed to mean a little, but the boy took it as it came accepting the promise as something that Pales would honor while trying to be a 'good' or 'cool' parent. Pales was just lucky the boy didn't act out against him when they went out in public, excluding the first couple of times.
The father and son pair walked on in silence again until they reached the front of the bookstore that held blank journals for people to write their thoughts in. Pales opened the door allowing Armel first entry before following suit a moment later. The boy glanced up at his father questioningly.
"I'll go look at some books, you go ahead and pick out a journal would like to write in. Something that speaks to you, sound good?" Pales was trying to sound excited and cheerful about the task at hand. He heard it was a good way to encourage children to do new things. Armel didn't return the excited feeling he just looked up at his Da as if the man grew a second head, a few extra eyes, and a couple of extra limbs.
"Y'going t'get one too, Da," Armel asked staring up at the man as the expression cleared away from the boy's face.
The man was about to say no, but stopped feeling it would be a mistake, "Sure, but you go pick one first. When it's my turn, you pick a couple of books you would like to read and then we'll pay and go home. Sound good?" Pales laid out the now revised order events, as he obviously wasn't counting on going picking a journal of his own. The man hadn't kept one since he was at least sixteen.
Armel's face brightened considerably as Pales lead the ram-horned boy to the blank journal section while he himself wandered off to look into a couple of books, pointing out to Armel just where he'd be when the boy had picked what he wanted.
Pales blankly stared at the wall of books before him he had most of these at home or in storage somewhere. The man idly reached out and picked up a book that was familiar and just flipped through it, not really reading the words, but escaping into his own mind. Of course he could go and find a bunch of the new releases and snatch those up, but he wanted Armel to pick his first books on his own. It wasn't long before there was a sharp tug at his coat and Armel was staring up at him somewhat sternly.
The ram-horned boy tried to call out to him but Pales had seemingly gone off to la-la land and was unreachable save for a few nudges which brought him back.
Pales knelt and smiled, "Find what you wanted?" he reached and brushed some of the longer bangs from Armel's eyes, which the boy accepted the contact quietly as he nodded holding up a fiery red journal with a flame shape on its cover.
The man nodded, "Alright then. You go pick out a couple of books and I'll go get my journal." Pales gently nudged Armel to the children's book section as he stood up again to wander toward the blank journal aisle.
Armel stumbled a little, being slightly resistant and wanting to protest. How could he choose a book if he didn't know how to read? Was it the same as the journal picking process? Just pick what 'spoke' to him. It made little to no sense to him, but he humored his Da and walked the rest of the way to the books he was directed toward, and made no acts of further resistance. He hugged the journal he picked toward his chest as he looked at the books made for children his 'age' and lower. Armel didn't care for any of those as he wandered toward the "Young Adults" section to look at those instead. The books felt more his speed, or so Armel told himself. He stared mostly at the bindings as if pretending he could read, but he couldn't read them. At least not these particular books that appeared here, and his mind began to wander as he stared at the bindings his eyes going almost glassy.
He remembered the bazaar and that strange woman with a book. The book with strange but familiar letterings, and he knew how to read those. Why couldn't he read these? The thoughts swirling about in his head became frustrating and he had to tear his gaze away where they were met by a display of lava lamps.
Armel's troubled thoughts stopped in an instant. Two of the lava lamps were perfect for Adonis and Vidya. One lamp hand golden yellow goop inside and the other had blue goop inside. The blue goop reminded him of the color of Vidya's skin. Adonis and Vidya invoked happier thoughts and memories in Armel and he turned back to the book display to the other side of him. The boy randomly reached out and got out a blue book and a red book...
Meanwhile Pales was staring blankly at the rows of blank journals. He had no idea which one to choose and the man really didn't feel he needed one. The boy insisted and he would humor him. After all Pales was the one coming up with the bright idea to use it, he might as well practice what he preached. A voice in Pales' mind echoed the sentiment, which he ignored. The voice was chillingly reminiscent of Albion, and he didn't want to remember Albion - ever. Though chances were the old man wouldn't stop existing just because Pales chose to deny the existence of his mentor. A deep heavy sigh was let loose as he reached out and took up a journal similar to Armel's own but with a lunar motif. A journal was a journal, right?
Pales then wandered toward the children's books section of the shop only to find Armel was not there. An ice cold brick fell to the bottom of the man's stomach before he found Armel over by the lava lamps and young adults books aisle. Pales let out a deep breath allowing the ice in his belly and in his veins melt away.
"One day, I am going to have gray hair. I swear." The man muttered as he moved toward his son, who turned to meet the approach of a taller person.
"'Ey, Da, can we get Adonis 'n Vidya one of these lava lamps here?" The ram-horned boy indicated the display with a quick nod of his head toward it.
Pales was about to lecture Armel about what had just happened, but the man got distracted for a brief moment and stared at the lava lamps. Up close they were really pretty and shiny...
Armel raised an eyebrow as his Da's eyes glazed over. The ram-horned boy cleared his throat in order to gain the man's attention. For a few moments there was no reaction until Pales startled guiltily and laughed glancing down at Armel again, "Sorry about that," the man muttered softly, "they are nice, want to get one for each of them?"
Armel nodded, "Blue one an' the golden yellow one. I want a red one," the boy also juggled the books about to hold up two books bindings first. It seems the jackets were missing for these particular books, Eragon and Eldest were the titles that blazed in golden lettering on the black bindings, "I also want to learn how to read these."
The boy's guardian opened his mouth to protest before just closing his mouth. Pales did this a few times looking like a fish that just fell out of its bowl. He couldn't think of a good reason why not to get the books or why the boy couldn't read from them at all. Sure learning to read them would be a little harder, but surely he could convince Armel to build his vocabulary a little before reading them. Pales opened his mouth again, but this time sound came out, "Okay. Though you won't read them right away," the man held up a hand as Armel made to protest, "no arguments. You have to learn how to walk before you can run."
Armel bristled at that, "I know damn well how to walk! I want t'learn how to read." He shouted at his Da, little caring what words he said. The proverb made no sense to the boy at all. Pales, however, was startled.
Damn wasn't the worst word that could be used, but still how to approach the situation. The man stared down at his son as he went over the options he could spank him, but then again there are laws against such things. Wash his mouth out? No the consequences were far too great.
Pales quickly recovered the look of shock and chose to ignore it. Some parenting books suggested that particular course of action. If one made a big deal out of a behavior the child might continue it and worsen. The man spoke again, "I know you know how to walk. I understand you want to learn how to read, but you need to take it slow okay?" It seemed useless to explain the saying to Armel. It might make the boy a lot more upset than the man intended.
The ram-horned boy calmed down a bit, but still glared a little up at his father figure and then nodded, "Fine, but as soon as I figure out how to read. I am reading these books."
Pales' glance went to the lava lamps again and he just picked out the appropriate colors, "Let's pay and go home before I get distracted again," the man said as he smiled down at his charge. Pales was making an attempt at lightening the slightly darkened mood of this particular shopping expedition.
"...Aye, alright then," Armel tried to smile a bit, but the slightly guilt ridden look on his face showed that he felt bad for his explosion. He knew he said something he shouldn't have. The word he blurted felt and sounded like a dishonorable thing to say to his parent, "I'm sorry for what I said, Da." The boy muttered as they wandered to the register.
Pales nodded a bit, somewhat thankful for whatever made Armel apologize for what was said, "It's okay. We all get mad sometimes. Just try not to let it get the best of you. Cursing like that is not a very good habit."
Armel shrugged, as he handed up his book items for Pales to put on the counter along with what the man already set down. To the boy curse words seemed right dandy to use when no other words seemed to suit. He resolved to keep it low or at least to himself so that his parent wouldn't hopefully know.
--
Purchases Made:
  
 
Lamp, Lunar, + Fire books from Invisible Couch. Eragon + Eldest book images by Chibi_Dragonfly [Dee]
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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:36 am
"This is the place!" Vidya called out happily, looking from the piece of paper in her hand to the house infront of her. She's recently received a package from Armel, and she felt it only right to get him something in return, so she bugged Enoh to go shopping again! The pregnant woman put up a fight at first, but she ended up going anyway; the baby's room needed a few more items anyway. Once she found something she deemed perfect for her friend, she used the return address on the package to track down his house, since she was too lazy to go to the Postal Service building...even though what she was doing now would be considered more work than that.
"Whatever. Hurry up, we have to go. Just...put it on the doorstep or something." Came the stoic voice of Teivel, someone who was forced to go along with Vidya just in case. Enoh just wasn't comfortable with letting Vidya go somewhere she'd never been before...but now that the tale knew how to get there, chances were Teivel's assistance wouldn't be needed anymore.
Sticking her tongue out at her stag of a brother, Vidya skipped towards the house and set the item, along with a letter, on the doorstep. Wandering back to her brother, they both left, heading back home...Vidya naturally prattling on about something or another.
Along with the plush, the note was buried within an envelope, a thin piece of paper with rather neat printing upon it.The Note
Heya Armel!
Thank you SO much for the lava lamp! I love it to peices pieces! Its sitting in my room now, grah its so distrea distracting. Anyway! I didn't know what to get you in return at first, but when I saw this plush...I don't know, it just seemed to suit you alot a lot, so I bought it for you!
By the way...this is my own handwriting! Isnt it cool?! I've never written a letter to anyone before! I think I'm gonna do this more often.
Bye!
-Viddy
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